


Haunting Me

by Applepie3399



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Ghost!Starscream, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-08
Updated: 2013-10-26
Packaged: 2017-12-28 21:06:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/996707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Applepie3399/pseuds/Applepie3399
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Story is set after Predacons Rising and assumes that Starscream died. He fails to enter the Well for some reason and is stuck as a lost spark - a ghost. Unfortunately, he can neither avenge his death, nor entertain himself in any way possible since he can't touch anything and nobody can see him. Except one. Future KOxSS Rating will go up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Angry Lost Spark

**Author's Note:**

> It’s a common occurrence that Starscream comes back to life one way or another and since the movie left an open ending, I’m bringing TFP!SS in a G1!SS style.
> 
> I bet he’d be pissed that he got killed and of course he’d blame it on someone else. Knock Out for example since if he hasn’t stabbed him in the back, both of them would be far far away from Cybertron by now.
> 
> Initial art - http://applepie3399.tumblr.com/post/63288896242/quick-and-lazy-sketch-of-an-idea-thats-been

Starscream was dead. Or so he thought after getting beaten by the three predacons so much that even the harshest beating from Megatron seemed like nothing. But instead of joining the Well as he thought he would, he was staring at Cybertron’s sky instead and that confused him to no end.

Trying to stand up cleared a lot of that confusion though. Instead of standing up on his feet, he simply… floated. As if he was air. It took no efforts whatsoever. It felt strange. He looked back to the ground ad saw his broken frame, lying on the energon-covered floor, strangled and twisted beyond repair. All life has clearly left it. 

And Starscream was furious! After so so very long avoiding certain death ridiculously often, this was how he met his end! Beaten to death by a bunch of primitives! He wanted to return the favour to the Predacons. He wanted to torture them, strangle them, kill them in the slowest and most painful manner he could think of! So he floated away to find them, only murder and torture in mind.

And find them he did. But there was absolutely nothing he could possibly do to them in his ghost form. He couldn’t move or even touch anything. The only thing he could do is transform himself from a floating ball of energy into a floating resemblance of his previous frame. And even then – the Predacons didn’t even seen him. 

Defeated and frustrated he floated away. And he floated and floated until he saw a familiar face.

One of the Autobots has just come up from behind the corner and Starscream decided to try and see whether the yellow brat would be able to see him. Unfortunately but not surprisingly, he was not. But the ghost seeker followed the other regardless. Being a ghost so far has proven to be very boring and frustrating. 

The yellow bot walked for several minutes before entering a building. Starscream just phased through the door after him. And then he saw a truly familiar face. Starscream knew he shouldn’t be surprised to see Knock Out but he still was anyway. 

Starscream observed as Knock Out chatted with the yellow bot who has given him a datapad. It seems the medic was working on something for the Autobots. Starscream was not interested in it but the fact that his previous SIC has betrayed him so easily for the Autobots was still enough to fire his anger once again.

“Traitor.” the seeker muttered. Or at least that’s how it sounded to him. Nobody else could hear him anyway.

Except he was wrong. Knock Out’s helm whipped in his direction and a pair of red optics widened. The medic’s hands grabbed the table behind him and the terrified expression on his face was so very clear.

Bumblebee’s optics followed the direction Knock Out was looking at but he saw nothing at all. With a lifted brow he turned towards Knock Out again.

“Is something wrong?”

Knock Out looked at him in surprise. Then at Starscream’s floating semi-transparent ghost. Then back at Bumblebee.

“Ah..no. Nothing at all.” The red mech did his best to resume his usual posture. He was simply seeing things that were not there. Probably because of working too hard. That’s what he wanted to believe.

Bumblebee left soon after, not really interested in Knock Out’s mental health. And Knock Out himself ignored the floating ghost oh his ex-Commander the best he could. 

But Starscream didn’t like to be ignored! He floated to Knock Out’s side and when the red mech still didn’t look at him – he swiftly moved in front of him. 

“I know you can see me, you traitorous glitch!”

Knock Out vented a heavy sigh and shut his optics before opening them again a second later. He steeled his face expression before speaking.

“You’re just a part of my imagination.”

Starscream was outraged! His optics widened to a ridiculous size in disbelief. He crowded the medic so much that their faces were only inches apart.

“I AM NOT A PART OF YOUR IMAGINATION, YOU FOOLISH TRAITOROUS GLITCH!”

“You had it coming, Starscream. There was only that much scrap I could’ve taken from you. I mean.. from the real you. Not the ‘part of my imagination’ you. And I am still not convinced you’re real. We don’t have ghosts.”

Knock Out was right. Starscream had what Knock Out did coming. But the momentarily pleasure and satisfaction Knock Out got out of getting back at the seeker for throwing him under the Megatron-bus have vanished soon after he joined the winning team.

It was true that Starscream was rude. And as much as Knock Out hated others being rude to him, he kind of missed the seeker. The semi-friend~ish relationship they had was almost fun to the red mech. Plotting with Starscream was definitely very fun. 

No matter how many times Starscream has ruined his finish, insulted his medical skills or betrayed him – Knock Out kept going back to the seeker over and over again. He had never found out why exactly. But there was something pulling him towards Starscream, something that piqued his interest. And he couldn’t resist it. 

And when Starscream’s life signal went offline on Knock Out’s radar – the news hit the red mech. He would never find out what his fascination with the seeker was exactly. And he kind of missed him. 

He has joined the winning team. There was nothing holding him back. Except apparently he was wrong because somewhere along the path of opportunism, he has grown a little attached to a variable he did not expect. And now his unresolved interest in the seeker came to haunt him in the form of Starscream himself. 

What a cruel torture his mind was putting him through. He ignored as the ghost kept screeching and yelling at him, accusing him of indirectly causing Starscream’s death. He ignored it again and kept ignoring it until the ghost got tired and shut up. Not for long though.

“You really think I’m part of your fragged up imagination…” 

Silence.

“I don’t have to prove my existence to you!”

Even more silence from Knock Out.

“LOOK AT ME!” the ghost screeched much harder than before. The light flickered ominously and the vials Knock Out has stored on the shelves shattered on the spot.

And then the medic stopped ignoring Starscream. And he stopped believing he was just a part of his imagination too. Trembling, Knock Out turned towards the ghost.

“You are real.. I…you.. how??”

Starscream was amused. He has never heard the medic stutter before. Sweet smooth talking Knock Out stuttering was just… too amusing. But his current situation sucked the amusement out of him in a blink of an optic.

The ghost sighed and rolled his optics. “Frag if I know!”

The medic was truly intrigued by that phenomenal. Of course he has seen plenty of human movies including ghosts but he has never ever expected to meet a Cybertronian ghost. Or should he call it a ‘lost spark’. He wasn’t sure.

But his curiosity got the better of him and he stepped towards Starscream, slowly moving his servo towards the semi-transparent seeker and plunging it right through his chest. The feeling he got was a wild mixture of freezing coldness and searing heat. Starscream, on the other hand..

“Ah, it tickles!”

Knock Out removed his arm from the ghost and supported his chin with one servo, clearly thinking about the whole situation.

“Are you planning on haunting me? Am I that interesting to you?”

Starscream’s ghost wings hitched up at that second question. It was amazing how his nonexistent frame still managed to betray his emotions even in death. 

“Tsh, you are of no interest to me!” his optics shifted to one side and his servos balled into fists. “But you are the only one who can see me so far. And I got bored alone…”

“Yeah, of course, of course. Stick around if you must. The Autobots are such a bore anyway.”

“I’m still furious at you, you treacherous--”

“The war is over, Starscream. If we’ve escaped back then, where would have we gone? To Earth? The Autobots would’ve found us there. There would’ve been nowhere to hide and even if we hid – it would’ve been a miserable existence. It’s all over. Let it go. I realize how that would be hard for you since you died as a result and all that. But you treated others badly and your actions came back to bite you on your aft. I am NOT responsible for that!”

By the time Knock Out was done, his vents were hitching and his voice has gone a bit high erthan he would’ve liked it. 

“I still hate you for what you did..” the voice had no real strength behind it though. It felt more like petty stubbornness.

Knock Out simply returned to his work and for the rest couple of hours nobody uttered a word. Starscream did follow him home though.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this came out as a shameless fanservice so I'll either re-write the chapter next time I upload or will leave it as a side chapter that can be read separately from the rest of the fic. I really want the story to be darker than my usual fics and I regret not following that path as I intended.
> 
> So, ignore this chapter in terms of plot and story atmosphere. I let my hands write and post too fast.

Starscream followed Knock Out home that night. The medic was the only mech that could see and hear him and Starscream could use the company, despite of what Knock Out has said and done to him.

When he entered the other’s new apartment, the seeker wasn’t all that surprised by what he saw. The interior was spacious although it was only a room and a washracks. It also had very few items. Knock Out’s beauty products such as various size buffers, oils, polishes, etc, were neatly stocked on the only shelf in the room. The berth was far too spacious for just one mech, especially for someone of Knock Out’s alt mode and size. But the red mech always liked to pamper himself so no surprise there. 

What surprised Starscream, however, was the weird clothing and the fluffy-looking thing on the berth. No question it was an idea Knock Out has stolen from the humans. He had too much interest in what they did and Starscream found that disgusting.

A work station, a desk, and a nightstand were the only other things in the apartment. It was clear Knock Out has moved in not long ago. Probably only a couple of days.

“I’ll take a shower. I don’t know if ghosts recharge but make yourself comfortable if you want.” Knock Out’s voice was somewhat distant. He entered the washracks and the sound of running liquid was heard shortly after.

Starscream hasn’t replied to the medic. But ghosts didn’t recharge. He knew that much. And as lonely as Starscream felt during the day, the night was even worse. The previous nights he has spent roaming the renewed Cybertron. And if he wasn’t a mech that clung to life or whatever state he was in at the moment as strongly as Starscream did – he could’ve probably tried to enter the Well. 

But that night, Starscream decided to spend in Knock Out’s apartment. The quiet sounds the medic’s frame made while recharging should offer some false sense of relaxation and comfort to Starscream. At least that’s what he hoped for. 

But while he was waiting for Knock Out to finish his shower and go into recharge, Starscream decided it’s the perfect opportunity to go through the medic’s belongings, no matter how few they seemed to be.

The various buffers and oils presented no interest to Starscream. Although their sheer number was astonishing for just one mech to have. Knock Out’s worktable was slightly more interesting. But Starscream’s scientific knowledge was not at a very high level so many of the datapads remained a mystery to him. But whatever he managed to understand didn’t seem like a very interesting project anyway. So he moved on.

The nightstand was what intrigued the seeker ghost the most. He couldn’t touch anything because of his current state so he couldn’t open the nightstand. However, that was not necessary. He smirked and for the first time since he has become a ghost, he could finally use his state as an advantage.

He phased his helm through the small door easily. Even when locked, the metal door didn’t close tightly so just enough light was getting through for Starscream to see what was inside. And what was inside would’ve made his faceplates burn if he still had a frame. The close proximity between his face and the content of the nightstand made his embarrassment even greater. 

Sure he knew Knock Out was a hedonist. But the sheer amount of interface toys inside the nightstand was astonishing. And most of them looked too new to be from before the war. And no such industry existed after the war started and consumed all of Cybertron. Which only left one possible explanation – Knock Out has made most of them himself. 

Starscream‘s attention was focused on one particularly interesting toy when the washracks’ door slid open. The seeker ghost panicked, not wanting to be caught going through Knock Out’s intimate toys. So he fled. He vanished faster than Knock Out’s optics could follow and went on and on until he was at least a couple of blocks away from the red mech’s apartment. 

Naturally, he didn’t hear the other calling after him. And after a couple of minutes of calling for Starscream, Knock Out just gave up, thinking the seeker didn’t want to spend time with him after all. Maybe he has gotten bored and left. Knock Out never pretended he knew what Starscream thought or was about to do. He thought he knew once and he got thrown under the bus. 

But since Starscream wouldn’t be around anyway, Knock Out wasn’t about to pass a chance to relax after a day of work. The way he liked the best. 

Starscream spend a good half an hour wandering the neighborhood. And he got really bored. Maybe Knock Out hasn’t seen him peeking in his nightstand. With that thought in mind, he went back, a bit reluctantly though. He didn’t want Knock Out to think he liked his company or anything. He just liked being noticed and currently – Knock Out was the only one who could even see him.

The seeker ghost grumbled to himself on his way back. Since he could phase through anything, he felt no need to do so through the door. A wall was equally sufficient. And the wall he chose to phase through offered truly the best view of something he definitely did not expect. 

Such as that of Knock Out lying on his berth, legs spread, hips slightly lifted off the berth and two fingers buried deep in his valve, shamelessly pleasuring himself after a day of hard work. It took Starscream less than a second to have that image and the accompanying moans burned into his processor forever. He gasped and it was just enough to alarm Knock Out.

The red mech’s fingers stopped instantaneously, still buried deep in the valve, and he lifted his helm. His optics widened even more when he saw Starscream’s ghost floating just a few steps away from him. He roughly removed his wet fingers, which was only followed by interface fluids gushing out of the worked up valve. And Starscream’s gaze, naturally, glued there. Only when Knock Out messily and manually clicked his interface panel closed did Starscream look away.

“Is a bit of privacy too much to ask?!?” Knock Out’s voice was angry but also strained from the denied pleasure and overload. “The fact that you can phase through walls doesn’t mean you have to stalk others when they get off. And mechs call me the pervert. Pff.” 

It took Starscream a couple of seconds to realize what he was accused of. 

“WHAT!?! I am NOT a pervert! And I was NOT stalking you… you… doing...! I just came back and you just happened to do it! Don’t flatter yourself thinking I would even want to watch you touch yourself!” the seeker’s optics were open wide to a ridiculous degree. It was unbelievable to Starscream to be accused of being a pervert by Knock Out no less!

“How convenient.” Knock Out’s reply was dripping with sarcasm. Although, on second though, the red mech could somewhat believe Starscream’s word. Especially since the other couldn’t even bring himself to say ‘self-servicing’. 

“FINE! Don’t believe me! See if I care! Because I don’t!” Starscream’s tantrum was over quickly and he didn’t even wait for Knock Out’s reply before he phased through the wall again. 

Knock Out sighed dramatically and teased his panel open again. If the damage’s been already done, he could at least finish what he started. 

“Oh and one more thi-ARGHH!”

“STARSCREAM!”

***

Unintentionally, Starscream walked in on Knock Out self-servicing two more times during the following few days. Every time Starscream has quickly left with a groan of disgust and every time Knock Out has screamed after him to stop ruining his fun times. 

Until one day Starscream phased into the washracks to ask Knock Out an important question and caught the medic with a servo firmly wrapped around his spike and back pressed against the wall behind him. At first Starscream has been surprised the red mech was able to remove his back wheels at will but it was no longer strange to see the other like that.

Seeing Knock Out self-servicing, however, still managed to come as a surprise to Starscream. This time though, Knock Out didn’t even make an attempt to stop pleasuring himself when he noticed the seeker ghost floating a couple of steps away from him. He simply half opened his optics to see Starscream and then closed them again, letting out a quiet moan and tilting his helm back even more. 

The servo worked the spike faster and faster while Starscream was very slowly floating closer to Knock Out. When he was less than an arm away, he curled his upper lip in disgust.

“You have no shame.”

“I’m not, ah, the one staring when, mhm, others are self-servicing.” Knock Out didn’t even bother to look at the seeker.

And Starscream detested being insulted and ignored. And what a better way to improve his own mood than to ruin Knock Out’s! Clearly remembering the red mech’s reaction to being touched by a ghost, Starscream’s evil mind quickly came up with a nasty little plan. He extended his finger and phased it right through Knock Out’s spike, expecting the hot/cold sensation to utterly ruin what the other’s been working towards till now.

Except it didn’t. It had quite the opposite effect actually. Knock Out let out a loud moan of ecstasy when an overload hit him hard and absolutely out of the blue, making his legs weak. He slid against the wall until his aft hit the ground and a stupid satisfied smile graced his lips.

“Maybe you’re worth keeping around after all.~”

“UGH! Disgusting! It wasn’t supposed to have that effect!” Starscream furiously phased through the wall but it wasn’t before Knock Out’s words teased him further. 

“Well, it’s one time a failed plan of yours end well for me.”

***

Starscream has almost forgotten why he went into the washracks in the first place. He had thought of a plan to rid himself of his current ghostly form. A way to get a frame back. And if nothing else, he was as always – determined.

“I meant to ask you something earlier.”

Knock Out lifted his helm. “What is it?”

Starscream floated in circles around the red mech. “I know that our companionship meant nothing to you--”

“You threw me under the bus first. And you kept insulting and treating me badly.”

“- and since I got killed because of you--”

“Now that’s just a filthy lie. I thought we were past this!”

Starscream kept ignoring Knock Out’s interruptions. 

“—I think you owe me at least one favor. To clear your guilty consciousness.”

“That’s rich. Are you even listening to yourself, Starscream?!? Or is your processor that damaged?”

Starscream ignored him once again. And although Knock Out should’ve been used to that by now, it still irked him to no end.

“Okay then, what ‘favour’ do you want from me?” The red mech sighed and crossed his arms. But he was not prepared for what he heard.

“I want you to fix my frame.”

“What!? Why??” Knock Out frowned. There was no way this could end well.

“I deserve a proper burial. I don’t want my frame rusting out there, beaten into a heap by those savages! You can at least fix it for me, Knock Out. It’s not like it’s something you haven’t done before.”

Against his better judgment, Knock Out couldn’t deny Starscream the simplest of favours. Knowing Starscream, this would go horribly wrong. But he also still couldn’t help but think that maybe the seeker didn’t have a foul intention this time.

“Okay.”


End file.
